Manuscript Submission

The Nurse Educators and Practitioners Journal (NEPJ) recommends that authors comply with the Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals developed by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) and adhere to the principles and guidelines established by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

NEPJ is committed to upholding the integrity, transparency, and reliability of the scholarly record. Authors are encouraged to refer to the Committee on Publication Ethics' International Standards for Authors and review the responsibilities of authors.

Authors are further advised to familiarize themselves with NEPJ's Editorial Policies and Publication Ethics Policies, which govern all aspects of manuscript submission, peer review, and publication.

Manuscript Guidelines
Manuscript submission must be within the scope of the journal and be of sufficient quality. If not, it will not be reviewed. Please read the journal’s Aims and Scope to see if your article is appropriate.

The manuscript must be your original work, you must have the rights to the work, and you must have obtained and be able to supply all necessary permissions for the reproduction of any copyright works not owned by you, including figures, illustrations, tables, lengthy quotations, or other material previously published elsewhere.

NEPJ accepts the following article types: Research Articles, Literature Reviews, Brief Reports, Applied Theoretical and Conceptual Frameworks, Methods, Commentaries, and Editorials. The section below summarizes the article types and length (word limit).

Authors will be required to complete a supplementary table on representativeness of study participants and a lay person impact statement. Authors will be prompted to complete these and be provided with further instructions as the paper nears acceptance.

Article Types and Limits
Research Articles (Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods) have a maximum word limit of 3,500 words for non-intervention studies and 4,500 words for intervention studies, with no more than 8 figures and tables total.

Literature Reviews must use PRISMA or conventional guidelines. Systematic, umbrella, and rapid reviews must be registered in PROSPERO. The word limit is 3,500 words with no more than 8 figures and tables total.

Brief Reports cover pilot, feasibility, and developmental research with sample sizes usually less than 100 for quantitative studies. Non-interventional studies have a 2,500-word limit, interventional studies 3,500 words, with no more than 8 figures and tables total.

Applied Theoretical and Conceptual Frameworks focus on development, testing, and critique of theoretical constructs or frameworks actionable in clinical research. Word limit: 3,500 words; max 4 figures and tables.

Methods articles cover instrument development, psychometric studies, new analytic approaches, sampling, recruitment, and implications for research in novel settings. NEPJ is less interested in instrument translation studies. Word limit: 3,500 words; max 4 figures and tables.

Commentaries are short communications narrowly focused on one or more NEPJ articles published within the last year or on a contained segment of knowledge within a larger field. Opinions factually based are acceptable. Word limit: 1,200 words; max 2 tables or figures.

Editorials cover aspects relevant to NEPJ’s scope and aims, typically not in response to specific NEPJ articles. Word limit: 1,200 words; max 2 tables or figures.

Commentaries and Editorials are usually by invitation only. Unsolicited submissions require prior inquiry to the Editor-in-Chief (editor@nepj.org) with the subject “NEPJ Inquiry.”

NEPJ does not accept studies focusing solely on nurses/healthcare providers or students without patient-focused primary outcomes, case reports, case studies, single-subject studies, and study protocols.

Article Structure
Author(s) should write their article systematically under clear, brief section headings, with each section starting on a new line. Subsections are encouraged for clarity and cross-referencing.

Abstract
Provide an informative structured abstract following introduction, aim(s), methods, results, and conclusions. Limit to 200–300 words. Avoid citations as much as possible.

Keywords should be listed alphabetically.

Introduction
Offer a unique, succinct synopsis of the research. Specify gaps in existing knowledge and research and describe the significance and possible impact of the study. Conclude the introduction by stating the aim(s).

Methods
Describe the methodology in detail:
Design: Specify study type (experimental, observational, qualitative, etc.)
Participants: Define population/sample characteristics (age, gender, sample size, etc.)
Setting: Describe the study environment
Data Collection: Explain methods used
Ethical considerations: Include ethical approvals and consent
Data Analysis: Detail statistical methods used concerning the outlined variables

Results
Present findings clearly and concisely, supported by tables, figures, and text. Assign tables consecutive numbers upon first reference. Add explanatory notes below tables. Use up to five tables sparingly, avoiding duplication. Figures must have captions including brief titles above the figure, not on the figure itself.

Discussion
Interpret findings in the context of existing literature and discuss implications.

Conclusion
Synthesize findings and explain the study’s contribution without introducing new arguments.

Acknowledgements
Recognize individuals and organizations contributing but not qualifying for authorship.

Funding
Declare funding sources. You may use this template:

"This study received funding from [Funding Source Name]. The funding source did not influence study design, data collection and analysis, interpretation, or publication decision."

Conflict of Interests
Declare any potential conflicts of interest, including financial interests, personal contacts with participants or reviewers, or professional affiliations possibly affecting the research outcome.

References
Submit all references cited, formatted in APA style, ensuring accuracy and completeness. Unpublished results and personal communications are discouraged in the reference list but can be cited in-text with appropriate labeling (e.g., “Unpublished results,” “Personal communication”). “In press” denotes accepted articles. Include DOI links when available for permanent access. Web references must include full URL and date accessed.

Example DOI citation:

Alshammari, F., Pasay-An, E., Gonzales, F., & Torres, S. (2020). Emotional intelligence and authentic leadership among Saudi nursing leaders in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Journal of Professional Nursing, 36(6), 503–509. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.profnurs.2020.04.003

Example web citation:

National Institutes of Health. (2025, February 26). Know Your Blood Pressure Numbers. NIH. Retrieved March 15, 2023, from https://www.nih.gov/

Manuscript Formatting
Manuscripts must be submitted in Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx). LaTeX files are accepted with available templates. Use Times New Roman, 12-point font. The entire manuscript, including abstract, text, footnotes, and references, should be double spaced. Set margins to 2.54 cm (1 inch) on all sides. Page numbers must be consecutive from the title page onward (except cover page). Manuscripts must be written in clear, straightforward English.

All manuscripts must adhere to APA 7th edition formatting for in-text citations, references, tables, figures, and headings. Ensure all citations correspond exactly between text and reference list. References must be alphabetized by the first author’s surname.

Title Page and Anonymity
To maintain blind peer review, manuscripts must be fully anonymized. Remove author names from the manuscript file, headers, and footers. The Title Page, which will not be sent to reviewers, should include:
Article title
Full list of authors with institutional affiliations (indicating the institution where research was conducted)
Notes on authors who changed affiliation since the research
Corresponding author’s name, address, phone, and email
Acknowledgments
Declaration of conflicting interest
Funding statement
Ethical approval and informed consent statements
Data availability statement
Any other identifying information that might compromise anonymity

Statements and Declarations
Include a “Statements and Declarations” section after Acknowledgments (and Author Contributions if applicable) with the following sub-headings. If not applicable, state “Not applicable.”

Ethical considerations: State ethical approval details or note if approval was not required. Include review committee name, institution, and approval number if applicable.
Consent to participate: Declare whether written or verbal informed consent was obtained, or if consent was waived. If not applicable, state so.
Consent for publication: Confirm informed consent for publication of any individual data/images was obtained without submitting the actual consent forms. If not applicable, state so.
Declaration of conflicting interest: Declare conflicts of interest or state “The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest…”
Funding statement: Provide funding details or declare none.
Data availability: Provide data availability statement with links to data repositories if applicable or explain why data cannot be shared.

Author Contributions
List each author’s contribution under a dedicated heading after Acknowledgments.

Acknowledgements
Include contributors who do not meet authorship criteria and disclose any writing or editorial assistance, including third-party involvement, both in Acknowledgments and cover letter.

Use of Generative AI and AI-Assisted Technologies
Authors must declare the use of any Generative AI tools in writing. This excludes standard device features like spell or grammar checking. If AI was used, include a statement such as:

“The author(s) used [Name of Tool/Service] for [Purpose]. Author(s) verified and revised all content and take full responsibility for the publication’s content.”

Language Editing
NEPJ recommends professional language editing services to improve clarity and grammar, especially for non-native English speakers. Use of such services does not guarantee acceptance; manuscripts undergo full peer review based on scientific merit.